Woses ow Wed

Rhotasicm is a speech disorder consisting of imperfect pronunciation of the r sound. Outside dialect, this is a medical condition consisting of an inability or difficulty in pronouncing the letter "r", due to the exercise of the many muscles in the tongue. Sad to say, meron po akong ganitong speech impediment. I can't pronounce "r" correctly, nagiging "w".. kaya ayoko talaga magsasalita ng mga word like pera, aurora nagiging "pewa at auwowa" although hindi naman ganun mismo pero pang ganun na nga kasi pagkakarinig ng iba, sabi naman nila medyo lang daw. I searched the net on how to correct or kahit papano eh ma exercise ang tongue ko para makapag pronounce na ako ng "r" correctly. I would like to share this article to other people who have this speech impediment..


Exercising the Rhotacism in Absence of Pathology
By Bernard Fogel, PhD, CCC-SLP

It is universally accepted that the rhotacism, a defective utterance of the /r/ sounds, is usually the last and most difficult American English consonant to correct functionally. In my practice this is not the case in the absence of a pathology. Maturity of the patient must be taken into consideration, physiologically and neurologically.

I use two methods to help correct the rhotacism.

The first is a six-step exercise that begins with having the youngster put the tip of the tongue on the upper gum behind the central incisors to produce the /l/ sound. The child should take a deep breath and use voice to make the /l/ sound. With the voice going, gently push the underside of the tongue into palatal arch with the tip of a tongue depressor. With the lateral segments of the tongue contacting the upper molars and tongue blade in the palatal arch, you will hear a perfect /r/ sound.

Do this several times and have the patient kinesthetically feel the tongue position in relation to the intra-oral position. Finally, have the patient open the mouth wide, comfortably, and say "ah." Slowly move the tongue back from the /l/ position and try to replicate the feel of the tongue formerly formed by the use of the tongue depressor.

Note: As the tongue blade turns back, it innervates the superior longitudinal muscles (intrinsic), making a slight trough.

A prerequisite for the second exercise is to make the patient aware of the tongue's ability to not only change in size but also to move laterally, upward/forward and backward, all with precision. All of these abilities are usually normal developments of the intrinsic and extrinsic musculature of the tongue.

The following are preliminary exercises for the tongue:

  • With the mouth comfortably opened wide, cup the tongue to hold approximately half a teaspoon of water, without spilling, for 10 seconds. Try to feel the corner of the mouth with the sides of the tongue.
  • Hold the tongue out steadily for 10 seconds. The tongue must be a) narrow, like an arrow; b) pointed at the tip, like an arrow; c) straight, like an arrow; and d) rounded on top so no water can pool on its dorsum.
  • Make the tongue narrow and wide 10 consecutive times. Do not move the mouth, lips or jaw.

The /r/ exercise begins by having the patient open the mouth wide and say "ah." The patient should keep the voice going as the tongue is cupped (inside the mouth).

As the lateral segments of the tongue contact the upper molars and the apex of the tongue is positioned in the palatal arch, you should hear the /r/ sound. It is important, kinesthetically, to feel the contact of the sides of the tongue pressing against the upper molars. The stronger the contact, the sharper the /r/ sound.

The patient then should say "ah" and slowly cup the tongue to get the /r/ sound. This should be done often, and the patient should attempt to do it faster.

Note: Be certain the patients does not move the lips. Involving the lips will produce a /w/ sound.

Beyond this point, clinicians should go on to the normal routine of /r/ exercises containing nonsense syllables, etc.

10 Reaction(s) :: Woses ow Wed

  1. I had a good laugh knowing na meron kang ganitong problema...sorry, naiimagine ko kasi yung pananalita mo. I had friends before who really cannot say R and it just crack me up.

    Well, I hope ma correct in the future. Peace Bwo, I mean BRO! hehe...

  2. hehe...

    many people have difficulty with the letter r

    haha

    its not a laughing matter (but i just laughed) and its fine...

    pero minsan nga lang mahilig mang trip mga tao

    hihi

  3. Honestly, when I hear Tagalog-speaking indiv with this r-faulty slang, I judgmentally think they're socialites trying hardly to communicate in tagalog as if they natively speak in English.

    But orientation of intervention is unhealthy. I'm so mean. I'm gonna change my attitude

  4. huhu.. sabi ko nga ba at tatawanan nyo lang kaming mga may depekto.. hehe.. pero nde naman ganun ka grabe ako magsalita.. kumbaga.. 1/2 ng w siguro maririnig nyo.. kasi may naririnig pa namang r pag nagsasalita ako.

  5. Ako, sa totoo lang - GANYAN AKO! Well, that was nung bata ako. Siguro mula nung ipanganak ako hanggang 2nd year.

    Kakaiba naman ako.

    Ang R ko - V.

    Pero, mind you - parang R ang dinig nila. Galing ko no?

    It started nung bata ako. Hindi ako ganong naturuan sa letter R. Ayun, nagkakalat ako hanggang 2nd year.

    Nung third year - nagpractice ako ng pagsasalita ng GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

    Yep. Ayun. Gumaling na. Ngayon, ang lutong pa ng R ko. :) astig diba? hehe.

    It's okay dude. Di ka dapat pagtawanan, dapat lang na intindihin ka. :) http://utakgago.blogspot.com yun lang jinjuruks! HEHE.

  6. sobra ka naman wala naman akong kapansanan hehe.. i mean somewhat ganun lang na parang half r at w ang pagkaka pronounce ko sa word na may letter r, pero nde tottaly ganun na w talaga. hehe

  7. i dnt think there's anything wrong with it.. cute nga eh parang baby talk diba?! sa office ko nga dati ganun kami magusap.. but hey! if theres something u can do about it, do it. :)
    hope everything's ok...

  8. Are u a doctor?

  9. ok lang iyon marko, nde naman nila pansin kasi nde naman ganun ka grabe ako magsalita. im not a doctor po. just a common tao lang.

  10. wah!! ung ibang tao my pwblma nmn s S at T.. !! eheheh.. :) imbis na science, THienTHe.. hehhee..

    >> pano ba ung disorder n un??